Germany To Cut Its Defense Budget

A PzH 2000 howitzer, a Leopard 2 tank and a PUMA infantry fighting vehicle (L-R) of German army take part in an exercise in Munster on September, 28, 2018. © Reuters / Fabian Bimmer

Daily Mail: Germany says it will abandon its NATO spending commitments and invest less than promised, sparking US anger after Trump criticised European allies for expecting a free ride

* Berlin's latest budget will see defence spending drop well below two per cent
* Donald Trump has accused Germany of freeloading on U.S. military might
* Washington's ambassador in Berlin said planned cuts were a 'worrisome signal'
* But Angela Merkel said Germany would not cut aid to raise its military outlays

Germany's military spending is set to fall below its NATO targets, in the latest flashpoint in Berlin's long-running row with Washington.

The latest German budget plans, revealed on Monday, will see defence spending drop well below the two per cent of GDP expected from NATO members.

U.S. ambassador Richard Grenell said the cuts were a 'worrisome signal', while President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Germany of freeloading on U.S. military might.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the U.S. criticism, saying Germany will not cut foreign aid to raise military spending.

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WNU Editor: Europeans like German Chancellor Merkel are questioning the U.S. commitment to NATO. The real question that should be asked is .... are European leaders like German Chancellor Merkel committed to NATO. If spending money is the metric that one uses to answer this question, I will have to say that their commitment to NATO is based on their own financial and political considerations.

Update: The Germans do not like being called out on broken promises .... Call for US envoy to Germany to be sent home over NATO spending row (Politico).

More News On German Defense Budget Cuts

German military commissioner, US ambassador alarmed by budgetary restraints -- DW
Merkel rejects criticism of German defense spending -- FOX News/AP
Germany Plans to Cut Military Budget in Spite of US Calls to Reach NATO Target -- Sputnik
Germany ‘committed’ to increasing defense budget, but nowhere near US expectations -- RT
Why Germany Should Further Boost Defense Spending, and Why It Probably Won’t -- Franz-Stefan Gady, Defense One

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